Toward a theoretical and empirical distinction between perceived investment in employee development and perceived organizational support

Purpose The aim of the study is to provide a conceptual framework for the independence of perceived investment in employee development (PIED) and perceived organizational support (POS), drawing on cognition and emotion in social information processing. The study also examines how key outcomes – fit perceptions and work attitudes – relate to PIED and POS. Design/methodology/approach Time-lagged data from 227 Korean workers were collected and analyzed to assess the associations between PIED, POS, fit perceptions and work attitudes. Findings Our findings indicate that PIED has a significantly stronger association with fit perceptions (person-organization fit and person-job fit) than POS. In contrast, POS exhibits a stronger association with work attitudes (affective commitment and job satisfaction) than PIED. Research limitations/implications This study acknowledges limitations in its generalizability due to the Korean cultural context and its focus on the manufacturing industry. Future research should replicate the study across different cultural and industrial settings. Additionally, as our findings are based on employee self-reported and time-lagged data, future studies should adopt multi-rater and fully longitudinal designs. By expanding research across diverse contexts and employing robust methodologies, further exploration of PIED and POS distinctions will enhance both theoretical understanding and practical applications. Practical implications The study highlights the need for human resource (HR) managers to differentiate between PIED and POS when evaluating the return on investment of employee development and implementing strategic HR management in line with company-wide strategies. Originality/value This study is the first to attempt to theoretically and empirically distinguish PIED and POS. Notably, this study addresses the ongoing scholarly debate surrounding these concepts, which does not clearly distinguish between the two concepts and often conflates them with social exchange theory. The study offers meaningful theoretical advancements in understanding PIED.